The protest by Attorneys today outside the Police Force’s Special Organised Crime Unit has drawn the ire of the Attorney General who now wants to know if there is a hidden agenda replacing concerns about the arrest by SOCU of Attorney Tamieka Clarke for advising a client to remain silent.

“So I thought that this was water under the bridge, but obviously there is an aggressive agenda being pursued and I am not sure to what end, I received for example a pre-action letter from a lawyer purporting to act for Ms. Clarke, and the Police officer in question as well as the Police Commissioner received a similar letter. The letter demands from the state, compensation in the sum of $50 million,” Nandall complained during his interview with the Department of Public Information.  

The Attorney General now claims that by his estimation, the Attorney did not spend more than ten minutes under arrest and was never placed in a police cell and therefore he believes the demand for compensation is exorbitant.

“While I am in the process of replying to that letter, I am aware of pursuits are being made across the Caribbean to get statements to emanate, to condemn the conduct of the police, a protest now is unfolding. So one now must begin to ask, whether, it is that the young lady’s best interest is being perused or is there another agenda at play,” Nandlall questions.

Since the incident the Guyana Police Force has been heavily criticized by local and regional bodies for undermining the rule of law. The incident was deemed unprecedented.

“One would have thought that having engaged the Attorney General requesting compensation as exorbitant and as excessive as that demand is, one would have awaited a response that did not happen, protest were being planned even before the letter reached me,” Nandlall said.

Last week, when news of the arrest broke, Nandlall did a social media live from his office, declaring that he intervened in the matter and advised the Head of SOCU and the investigating officer to release the Attorney.

The Attorney said she was arrested, detained and her phone taken away just after she advised her client who was under probe to remain silent, which is a constitutional right.

Related posts:

Court rules SOCU’s arrest of Attorney for advice to client was unconstitutional Attorney General sees protest in Dharamlall matter as interference in investigation; Reminds that a suspect is innocent until proven guilty DPP discontinues private criminal charge against SOCU Officers in arrest of Attorney AG Nandlall apologises to Attorney over “unfortunate” arrest